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Poll results: Smart home tech has yet to win our trust

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Smart home tech, in which our households are populated by an ecosystem of AI-enabled, internet-connected devices, is a popular trend in the tech industry and looks to be an important feature of consumer products in the upcoming years. It could certainly do a lot to make our lives easier, but as our poll results show, the big challenge will be winning the trust of consumers.

We asked you last week how you felt about smart home tech, and whether you feel comfortable running your household affairs and appliances via digital assistant.

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Only 21% of voters feel they can trust smart home tech. / © NextPit

Although only a small minority were excited enough by smart home tech to welcome it unreservedly, the reasons why people didn't trust it were more varied. Some expressed concerns about AI, feeling uncomfortable with an intelligence that was not human.

What is AI? Our beginners guide to get to know the technology of the future.

Others were less concerned with the behavior of robots, and more about the behavior of corporations. Namely, privacy concerns are the issue. We know that knowledge is power and companies are keen to harvest and analyse our personal data. And they can often be really sneaky about it.

So, seeing as smart home tech has a way to go before it can win our trust, what do you think needs to happen before we change our minds? What kind of guarantees would manufacturers, or even governments, need to make to convince you? Let us know in the comments!

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Nicholas Montegriffo

Nicholas Montegriffo
Editor

A cyberpunk and actual punk, Nicholas is the Androidpit team's hardcore gamer, writing with a focus on future tech, VR/AR, AI & robotics. Out of office, he can be found hanging around in goth clubs, eating too many chillies, or at home telling an unlucky nerd that their 8th level wizard died from a poisoned spike trap.

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  • 11
    Hilko R. Oct 31, 2017 Link to comment

    I'm perfectly happy with my Google Home :)


  • Albin Foro 30
    Albin Foro Oct 29, 2017 Link to comment

    For techno-aristocrats to prepare for these electronic assistants, everybody needs to watch a few episodes of "Upstairs, Downstairs", the serial drama about wealthy aristocrats and their serving staff. While the aristocrats love to gossip and conspire, flirt or have nervous breakdowns in each others arms, the servants also love to gossip about the aristocrats, etc. The minute any downstairs staff walk into the room to announce a guest or serve tea, the aristocrats all shut completely up and look perfectly serene until the servant leaves. If people want servants, they have to learn how and when to dismiss them, and how to behave when they're there.


  • Mark G. 28
    Mark G. Oct 29, 2017 Link to comment

    It's not so much a trust issue for me, yes there are issues around this, but it's no worse than Google/apple at the moment. We now happily allow our data to be managed by these giants who have direct input from Government organisations.

    My main concern is that each manufacturer is working on their own AI systems, and their own Smart home systems. Neither will be universal, neither will be cross compatible.
    Those who are rich enough will be able to afford to overhaul their white goods and security systems and electrical systems to make proper use of the AI Smart home.

    What happens if you choose a manufacturer that goes bust, you have a unsupported AI & associated devices.

    Just like previous tech, will there be a betamax (VHS won) or HD DVD (Blu-ray).

    Who will regulate the minimum standards for AI, what should be the minimum Standards? One system may decide or think differently from another. The whole point of AI is that it will be autonomous, will they decide to compete with competitors AIs (I'm not talking about AI Wars (yet)).

    AI is a major advancement in home tech, with as yet unknown consequences or improvements. The major corporations are in charge of their own development and research, when they release the finished product it will only be them that will know what potential can be done.

    I'm a huge fan of sci-fi and read futuristic books which have personal AI assistants that are fully in charge, we're at the very beginning, but if we don't have the basics foundations then it will inevitably lead to serious issues.

    Peace 🖖


    • 2
      Anvish A Jan 22, 2018 Link to comment

      You watch way too many sci-fi movies, but even though your idea of a minimum standard makes sense it is very difficult to do that not at the present stage as all AI and machine learning are at their infancy, however once this technology becomes mature enough automatically minimum standards will be set and a possibility of inter-compatibility will become just as simple as changing a sim card of your network provider.


  • 31
    Deactivated Account Oct 29, 2017 Link to comment

    there is no guarantee that I could trust from any current government or corporation..
    can't imagine any circumstances where I'd trust president Trumpettwitter ..
    any issues raised about personal privacy in USA is just "fake news" much like personal privacy it's fake..

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